An Empty Bed
by PineapplePeopleSpokesman
Summary: Gaius wonders why Merlin always has an empty bed. Awkward confrontations ensue. Merlin/Arthur.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. If I did, this would be canon. :)**

'It's morning, Merlin! Your breakfast is on the table!' Gaius declares as he opens the door to Merlin's room. Tutting, he makes his way through the mess on the floor, Gaius walks up to Merlin's bed. He goes to shake Merlin's shoulder, only it isn't there. The sheets aren't even rumpled slightly. 'Merlin?' Gaius shouts again, looking around.

Shaking his head, Gaius leaves the room. He eats breakfast alone and clears both his empty bowl and Merlin's full one. _What a waste_, he thinks as he scrapes away the remains of Merlin's porridge.

Merlin isn't back by midday, so Gaius heads over to Arthur's chambers. He knocks on the door. 'It's open!' Arthur calls. He pushes slightly on the door and the first thing he sees is Merlin grinning happily from the floor. He waves with the wet rag he has in his hand and Gaius slowly waves back.

'What is it Gaius?' Arthur asks from where he's slouching in a seat, bunch of grapes in hand.

'I was looking for Merlin.'

'You found me!' Merlin says as he dumps the rag into a bucket.

'Hmm. Where were you last night?'

Arthur chokes on the grape he's just put in his mouth and Merlin thumps him on the back. 'I was…about,' Merlin replies. Gaius raises his eyebrow, but decides to leave it. He can ask Merlin when he comes home from work. Bowing, Gaius leaves. 'Thank you, Sire, Merlin,' he says, stepping out of the door.

'Did someone try attacking Arthur again?' Gaius asks Merlin over their dinner.

'What?' Merlin looks up, confused. He hadn't been talking much, just…grinning like a fool.

'Got something on your mind, eh? I was talking about why you didn't come home last night!' Merlin chokes on his mouthful of soup and Gaius briefly wonders if he's been enchanted to make people do that. 'Oh…I was…yeah…saving Arthur again,' Merlin says through rasping breaths.

'What was it this time?'

'Um…it was erm…poison!' Merlin stammers his way through a sentence 'Poison in his food!'

Gaius raises his eyebrows for the second time this day. Merlin has definitely led to an increase in the amount of exercise his eyebrows get. 'How did you make the antidote?'

'Oh. It was just food poisoning!'

'Alright then…' Gaius trails off, not looking fooled. Merlin coughs awkwardly and soon heads to bed. Gaius watches him close the door and wonders what Merlin was really doing.

The next morning Gaius goes into Merlin's room and finds him missing again. He shakes his head and sighs, folding a few of the discarded clothes on the floor. Gaius rolls his eyes and picks up Merlin's book of spells which was lying on the ground, open for anyone to see. He puts it back in its place under the floorboards.

As he eats breakfast, Gaius ponders about where Merlin could be going. He couldn't have a girlfriend, could he? No, not with those neckerchiefs. Gaius had heard the rumours. That Merlin wears women's clothing and jewellery. He's not going out dressed like a woman is he? Gaius laughs at the visual, but doesn't rule out the idea. Wherever Merlin is, Gaius needs to find him soon. He's got chores that need doing.

Gaius goes to Arthur's rooms first. As suspected, Merlin is in there with Arthur. He's making a _very_ rumpled looking bed. Arthur blushes as Gaius walks through the open door. 'Sorry, Sire. I was looking for Merlin again,' Gaius explains.

'Sorry for any inconvenience,' Arthur replies, batting the back of Merlin's head playfully.

'Oh, it's fine. I came here fist.'

'_Here_? First?'

'Well, yes. It seems to be where Merlin spends all his time.' That's when it hits Gaius. Merlin really does spend _all_ his time in Arthur's rooms, even when he should be tucked up in bed. It seems he is, just not _his_ bed. 'Oh, I…I have to go,' Gaius says, embarrassed by his sudden realisation 'There are people to cure!' Arthur stares curiously, but never the less nods as Gaius all, but backs out of the room.

That night when Merlin gets back from his duties, Gaius doesn't want to meet his eyes. 'What is it?' Merlin asks innocently.

'Oh. I think I know why you weren't here last night. Again,' Gaius replies.

'I was just. Arthur was only…what do you think?' Merlin's blushing redder than he's ever been. Gaius, taking pity says 'You were with Arthur, helping him…_exercise_, weren't you?'

'Yeah, that's what some people might call it,' Merlin says back, wishing he was anywhere else.

'Right. Good. Just give me a bit of warning next time, boy. I'll never know if you're in trouble or not,' Gaius says, looking at the floor. Merlin nods as Gaius looks up and they walk away from each other.

'Gaius? I'm going to bed,' Merlin says soon. 'With Arthur. Well not _with_ Arthur. Although, actually. I mean…uh…bye,' Merlin blurts out, running out the door. Watching the back of Merlin's head, Gaius laughs. _Maybe the rumours aren't half fetched after all_, he thinks, grinning from ear to ear.


End file.
